BAKED BEAN BLACK BEAN STEW

BAKED BEAN BLACK BEAN STEW

Caramelized sweet onion and green pepper with baked beans, black beans, stewed tomatoes and sweet corn. Seasoned with garlic, lemon and thyme!

Makes 12 cups

1/4 c. margarine

2 T. corn oil

1 jumbo sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch squares

3 med. green peppers, cored and cut into 1/2 inch squares

1 t. salt

28 oz. can Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans with brown sugar

15 oz. can stewed tomatoes, including liquid; cut lg. pieces into halves or thirds (Del Monte brand is gluten-free)

15 oz. can whole kernel corn

14 oz. can vegetable broth (College Inn and Swanson brands are gluten-free)

1 T. peeled, finely chopped fresh garlic

zest of 1 lemon; cut off  tip, stand on end, then run sharp knife from top to bottom, peeling only the yellow part off; then using the same sharp knife, remove any white part on the peels that you missed, then chop into tiny squares

1/4 t. dried thyme

freshly ground black pepper to taste

In large soup pot, over high heat, melt margarine with oil.

Add onion, green pepper and salt. Saute, stirring often, till caramelized and the bottom of the pot is browned.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring after each addition, then using spoon, scrape the ‘browned’ bottom of the pot into the stew, much like you would do when making a gravy from the drippings in the roasting pan.

Cook, uncovered, 45 minutes on low heat, at a very soft boil, stirring occasionally. Serve.

Notes: Scraping the browned portion of the bottom of the skillet into the stew while it cooks, injects a light, natural smoky flavor.

Lemon adds perfect tang to this stew, and the stewed tomatoes just enough sweet.